Mpox Response in Guinea-Bissau: Guinea-Bissau confirmed its first mpox case in a 27-year-old woman, with samples tested at the National Institute of Public Health and confirmed at Institut Pasteur in Dakar; health authorities have activated national response mechanisms under WHO guidance, launched contact tracing, reinforced surveillance at borders, and urged basic prevention like handwashing and avoiding close contact with people showing fever or rashes. Regional Defence Cooperation: Nigeria’s Army Chief, Lt-Gen Waidi Shaibu, convened the Third African Land Forces Forum in Port Harcourt, calling for a unified front against terrorism and transnational threats; Guinea-Bissau’s Chief of the Armed Forces (Maj Gen Tomas Djass) joined bilateral talks, underscoring deeper West African military coordination. Fintech Milestone (Liberia, relevant to the region): BanffPay (Liberia) secured a Payment Service Provider license from the Central Bank of Liberia, enabling the launch of a unified Pay-In/Pay-Out API to simplify digital payments for businesses and consumers. Energy Policy Watch: The IEA reports 113 countries (plus the EU Commission) have taken steps to cut energy costs amid the Iran war, including lowering energy taxes and expanding conservation measures. Biodiversity Note: A week of coverage highlighted the West African slender-snouted crocodile, a little-studied species that climbs trees and hunts in forest waterways, facing growing threats.